So im studying up on my favorite guitar player's (Slash) techniques and what not, and he says something about "intonation" and how its very important. So I look it up on Google, & I don't get a very clear meaning....
So since most of yall on here have been playing 4 a while, & know more than I do, can someone enlighten me please?

From what I did get it refers for the need for each string on the guitar to be a slightly different length in order for the correct pitch when fretted. Am I in the ball field??

Thanks(:

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"being a rock star is the intersection of who you are, and who you want to be." -Slash

Intonation is basically how true each note rings out in every position on the neck.

For example, does the "E" sound the same on the 12th fret of the 6th string as it does on the 7th fret of the 5th string and the 2nd fret of the 4th string?

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A fast way to check your intonation is to play an open string using an electric tuner and then striking the harmonic on the 12th fret and it being in perfect tune also.

GuitarGirl

What your doing when you adjust intonation is to move/set the length of each string individualy. This makes your guitar play intune all over the neck, rather than just on the first few frets.

The method StrayCat pointed out is probably the best way to set/check it. Though I play the 12th fret harmonic and check that against the 12th fret fretted note. If the fretted note is flat of the harmonic you move the saddle forwards (towards the pickups) by adjusting the screw at the back of the bridge. It's easy to remember that way, Fret, Flat, Forwards (FFF). If the fretted note is sharp move the saddle back towards the strap pin at the bottom end of the body.

It's fairly easy to do, if you dont go trying to do it with a cordless screwdriver and remember to slacken off the string before you make a adjustment. Keep your adjustments small (1/4-1/2 a turn) and you'll soon get the hang of it. It does require a hell of a lot of patience though. And if you haven't done it before, its advisable to have someone who has at hand, for when you muck it up. You will make misakes at it first time round but you'll get there.

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No no and no

I checked out the details on intonation and it's reported as a musician's realization of pitch accuracy, or the pitch accuracy of a musical instrument. Intonation may be flat, sharp, or both, successively or simultaneously.

Thanks everybody!! Im sure u'll keep hearin questions outta me!! Im full of um

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"being a rock star is the intersection of who you are, and who you want to be." -Slash

To give you an example, when I bought my P-bass, the action was too high. I lowered it myself, but then it sounded out of tune when I was playing up at the higher frets.

Lowering the action shortens the strings slightly, which effectively means the frets are no longer in the correct position to play a true note. Because I had lowered the action, I should have also lengthened the strings.

To check that the intonation is correct, simply use a tuner and check that when a string is in tune, the note at the 12th fret is in tune as well.

Cheers - Steven

As an ex-violinist I cannot speak in terms of a guitar, but intonation is accuracy of pitch - basically playing in tune. It's especially important for the violinists, because the notes are so clear and any deviation from the accurate frequency for any particular note is very transparent to someone who can hear. Mind you, many people cannot hear if you play out of tune. It takes a sharp ear. That's why some gifted musicians who nevertheless cannot hear very well, can become pianists, but not violinists.

And then there are people with "perfect pitch", which means their hearing is so sharp that they can discern even the most minute deviations from the perfect frequency of every note. That's hard to live with. A person like that is always hearing everyone playing and singing a little out of tune.

As for us guitarists with fretted instruments,it isn't going to be where every note on every fret is in tune,close but not perfect...some can hear it some can't.
You can set the intonation as close as you can and some chord somewhere is going to be out....there's a technical term for it that I can't recall right now.

"Temperament". As in JS Bach's "The Well Tempered Clavier".

On Renaissance lutes the frets are made from gut, each piece of which encircles the neck and is not fixed, so that you can slide them up and down the fingerboard to adjust the temperament for different keys.

Thank goodness we play modern guitars, huh?

Cheers - C

It's called western music intervals. How many variations of a 3rd.4th and 5th do you need? Blame John Harrison.
There have been lots over the years. It's only compounded by a modular instrument such as guitar (where the same note appears in multiple places).
Linear instruments such as piano (where one note appears in one place only) or unfretted instruments (where your not restricted to fretted intervals) suffer no where near the same degree of trouble. The problems of the music are still there, their just not noticed as much.

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No no and no

For a string bending ace like me,I just go to wherever it sounds perfect!.....yeah....perfect pitch,that's me.

I'm very pleased to hear that. It's something more should work towards.

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No no and no

All instruments can be intonated (usually)...

intonation = rise and fall of the pitch.

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